SPARKS THAT DIE 323
Don Fabrizio Colonna flourished in the favour of the
Lord Julius P.P. II; and he, also, was under many vital
obligations to the Duke of Ferrara. He, in his turn, tried
the role of peacemaker between pontiff and sovereign; and
so far succeeded, that the Holy Father farcically permitted
the Duke to come to Rome, assured of a favourable recep-
tion, to plead his cause and to arrange the terms of his
submission.
He came. He saw the Ruler of the World. He was
conquered. The Terrible Pontiff named the sole conditions
on which He would consent to remit the ban of excom-
munication. Nothing could be more enormously radical
and sweeping. They were, abdication of his sovereignty
over the city and whole duchy of Ferrara, with absolute
renunciation for himself and his heirs for ever of all
rights therein, in favour of the Holy See; also, his retire-
ment to voluntary life-long exile at the little city of Asti in.
the province of Lombardy. Death and obliteration of the
Borgia, not by vulgar assassination but by constitutional
withdrawal of the means to live, was the aim of the Terrible
Pontiff; wherefore He would strip naked Duke Alfonso,
as aforetime He had stripped naked Duke Cesare.
Duke Alfonso d'Este refused to purchase release from
excommunication on these disgraceful terms. The Lord
Julius P.P. II let him have hints which gave to understand
that the said terms might be mitigated. By various subter-
fuges he was detained in Rome.
The army of the Terrible Pontiff stealthily was advanc-
ing on Ferrara.
There was only a woman there.
Duke Alfonso chanced to hear of the pontifical strata-
gem. On the instant, he made his plans for quitting Rome.
But he found that he was in a prison. The Terrible Pon-
tiff held him; and would not let him go. The Lord Alex-
ander P.P. VI may not have ken a Saint: but He never
dirtied His honour like this.